Channel Nine has hired a defamation lawyer for Karl Stefanovic after a series of "fictitious and damaging articles" were published about his private life in gossip magazines.
The Today show host, 42, separated from his wife Cassandra Thorburn earlier this year after more than two decades of marriage.
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Channel Nine has hired a defamation lawyer to protect Karl Stefanovic and their business from what they claim are âfictitious and damaging articlesâ.
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Nine hires lawyer for Karl Stefanovic
Channel Nine has hired a defamation lawyer to protect Karl Stefanovic and their business from what they claim are âfictitious and damaging articlesâ.
Since then, he has become a regular fixture in magazines and tabloids.
Intense attention on Stefanovic's private life has prompted his co-host Lisa Wilkinson, herself a former magazine editor, to brand the stories "complete lies".
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"There's a lot of rubbish out there at the moment, a lot of lies," Wilkinson told Mia Freedman.
"My growing disgust for the people in charge of those magazines and those websites right now makes me so angry. My anger knows no bounds over that."
On Monday, a story published by New Idea claimed Stefanovic had quit his job and would be moving to the United States.
The magazine, owned by Nine's rivals Seven West Media, claimed a week earlier that Stefanovic had "fallen for" a close friend.
Both claims have been strenuously denied and come at a time of intense commercial rivalry between Seven and Nine after the Today show looked like overthrowing Sunrise in the ratings – a matter that is still up for debate.
The latest New Idea story said Stefanovic has "turn[ed] his back on Today" and quoted a friend as saying: "Karl has partied hard for years and no-one really took notice".
Hours after the story was published online and in print, Nine's director of News and Current Affairs Darren Wick said Stefanovic would return to Today in 2017.
He confirmed the network has begun instructing a defamation lawyer.
"This very personal campaign is being prosecuted by weekly women's magazines running fictitious and damaging articles about Karl Stefanovic that are without any foundation of fact," Mr Wick said.
"At best, this is lazy and reckless reporting. At worst, there is a case that this campaign is designed to damage not only his reputation but our business as well and we no longer intend to tolerate these lies.
"Nine has instructed Mark O'Brien, one of Australia's most experienced media and defamation lawyers, to act on Karl and Nine's behalf in this matter and take the necessary steps to defend his reputation against the endless fabrications."
It is understood the network has not yet launched proceedings and is currently considering its options.
Pacific Magazines, which publishes New Idea, declined to comment.